Monday, April 1, 2013

Adel Souto is a man of many talents. A musician, writer, and artist, Adel has made a ritual out of self expression. In fact, many of his ventures are based around rituals. A work in constant progress like many of his art pieces, he raises the stakes for himself by completing different rituals to experience what insights they can bring him. Challenging himself to everything from long boughts of silence to journal writing with his non-dominant hand, he hopes to bring more awareness to himself. Whereas some rituals are harder than others, he feels quite content to keep on pushing himself forward. Read all about his many experiences as he is April's Peculiar Person of the Month.

This Peculiar Life NYC: You are big on rituals, you completed one recently
where you didn’t speak for a month. Could you tell me what inspired you to
complete such a task?

Adel Souto: In
October of 2010, I had the luxury of living a rather difficult, yet easy-going
enough, life to facilitate something I’ve always wanted to try. While I’ve done
much shorter periods of silence (longest being 4 days), I thought a month would
be an amazing stretch (and stress) to attempt, while living, and working, in
NYC. I’ve been enchanted with, and reading of, the paths of the mystics since
early Catholic school, and later began to actually practice, and live my life
in such ways, around 1998, when I was in my late 20s. Sacred vows of silence
are acts one can find from East to West, so it’s intrigued me for some time.T.P.L.
NYC: Take me through the experience of what it was like to stay silent for so
long?

A.S.: I’m in the
process of finishing up a book on the subject, so I’ll be brief, as not to give
away too much, but I learned you have to be hyper-aware at all times, and it’s
just as rough on the person you live with, as it is on you. Lastly, by week
four I had practically a breakdown. Some of it was a little too intense, but I
wouldn’t trade the experience for anything, and even still attempt shorter
spans.

T.P.L.
NYC:What do you feel you gained from
doing a task like this? In addition, what do you gain out of any ritual you do?

A.S.:I have learned so much about myself. I can
now read and understand signals from my body. I understand so much more about
myself as a person from who I am to why I did certain things. I write “did”
because much of this has helped me break earlier addictions, bad habits, and a
previously piss poor attitude.

T.P.L. NYC: You have done several rituals that almost appear like challenges to
yourself. How do you decide what ritual you are going to complete next?A.S.:In
all honesty, many of these come up organically, and sometimes on the spot,
several days to even hours before I begin them. Normally, I get an idea, often
one I’ve always wanted to try anyway.

Next, I’ll be doing a sleep deprivation experiment (not a ritual). I have read
that the longest anyone has ever stayed awake is 11 days, and while I will not
be going for a record or even attempting to match that, I wish to experience,
and feel firsthand, the effects of not sleeping for long terms, or, at least,
much longer terms than I’ve already experienced.T.P.L.
NYC: You completed another ritual in which you didn’t shave and you used a
certain comb on your beard. What was the purpose of this ritual and what made
you want to do this?

A.S.:The ritual was 156-days-long (close to six
months) of self-denial, as well as adapting an appearance I normally would not.First, were the acts of self-denial. I used to
smoke cigarettes and top off every meal with some type of sugar snack, like
candy. I quit both for the period, as well as a handful of other things.
Secondly, I’m bald and clean shaven, as I prefer that look. Even my style of
dress fits that. I have only grown a beard once (for three months), and it was
not for me. I find it uncomfortable, as well as unappealing when attached to a
face like mine. I grew out my beard, and hair, to deal with looking like
someone I would normally not look like. Admittedly, the comb became a byproduct
of the beard. After month two, I began to stroke it, then pulled out the comb,
and began to meditate while combing it. It was one of the few things that
helped me deal with it, as dealing with it was a bit vexatious throughout.

Souto's beard ritual reveals a before and after of what he went through.

T.P.L.
NYC:I can’t help but ask. You also
mentioned that you have taught yourself how to have a 45-minute orgasm. Tell
readers how you accomplished something of this nature?

A.S.:You may have misunderstood.

I, after years of hard work, actually got to “open the third eye”, and had my
pineal gland stimulate my hypothalamus, which dumped massive amounts of
neurochemicals into my system.The first time caused a 30 minute experience
(only a part of which were the 5 - 8 full-body orgasms), and my second attempt
was another 45 minute experience. Now they are not so extreme, and I can even
function when in these states. Even so, the full experience is a nonstop,
fountain-like explosion of white light seemingly within the head, a fire-like purple
light emitting outward from my chest, a feeling of levitation (though firmly on
the ground), and those pulsating orgasms (without ejaculation).
Outsiders also claim my hands are hot to the touch when I do this, though I am
uncertain if it is part of my experience, or a coincidental outside
contaminant.

T.P.L.
NYC: If you have a regular orgasm now, do you even feel it or consider it to be
as potent?

A.S.:Great question! Without a doubt it has
affected me. The regular sexual feeling is almost completely gone from my
penis, and I now have orgasms that are more full-bodied. The normal sensation
in my genitals is no longer there, but has wildly moved to my head, of all
places. I guess it’s even truer in my case when saying the biggest sex organ is
your mind.

T.P.L.
NYC:What are some of the other rituals
you have done and what was their purpose?

A.S.:All rituals and experiments are done to learn
something about myself. Sometimes done to help change bad habits, or, at least,
understand them, to otherwise simply see if these acts are possible, without
losing my mind as much as possible.
Some have included: short-term and long-term fasts (both food and liquid),
writing in a journal for a year and a half using only my non-dominant hand, the
previously mentioned vows of silence, but also vows of chastity, and other acts
of self-denial, plus smaller, more repetitive rituals of observance, such as a
month-long reverence ritual for femininity.

T.P.L.
NYC: Is there a ritual that you have done that you found to be the hardest to
stick to and complete?

A.S.:Yes, the few which had me quitting my
addictions.

T.P.L. NYC: Which one did you find particularly fun or easy (prolonged orgasm
excluded)?

A.S.: The month-long
vow of silence. I wouldn’t say “fun”, but it was a great experience. I would
relive it again. I learned so much about myself, and about society as well.

Adel with a candle against a painted wall

T.P.L.
NYC: You have an expensive background in art, writing, and music. How do you
know which medium your creative ideas will take?

A.S.:Like my ideas for rituals, I have ebbs and
flows of creative ideas, though they usually come in spurts in one productive
field at a time. I have been a little scatterbrain here and there, but I mostly
work on art for a few weeks, then music for a few days, write a while, etc.
Though it’s been quite some time since, as I’ve experienced a few years now of
almost nonstop creative influence, I do have periods of inactivity, too. I would like to state here that I do work a
full-time job, in case anyone mistakenly feels I’m fortunate enough to lounge
around, and think stuff up (though I do fit time to do just that). I also do my own Photoshop graphic designs,
Dreamweaver website layouts, merchandise distribution, etc. “Work hard, play
hard,” is one of my many mottos. I know it can be hard to make ends meet, as
well as follow your creative spirit, but if you feed that spirit, it can turn
into a demigod.T.P.L.
NYC: You have started doing lecturing on occult influences in photography;
could you explain a little about this? Is this photographing supernatural
occurrences or people actually using supernatural forces to create works of
art?

T.P.L. NYC: You have started
doing lecturing on occult influences in photography; could you explain a little
about this? Is this photographing supernatural occurrences or people actually
using supernatural forces to create works of art?

A.S.:The lecture I wrote is on varying occult
influences in and on photography. I started off with comparisons between
alchemy and chemistry, which helped spawn the photographic process. Then, the photograph
as documentation device for occult lodges, and mediumistic practices in the
early 1900s, as well as primitive and fetishistic religions and cults who used
photographs in magic spells (both for beneficial or hurtful practices). I
finish off by discussing the photographic rituals of Brion Gysin in the late
50s, and end on current photographers who use magic and ritual in the artistic
process of photography.

T.P.L.
NYC: You started writing your own zines in the late 80’s and have since gone on
to write for major magazines such as Details
and Psychology Today. What do you
feel is the major difference between writing for yourself and for established
magazines?

A.S.:A paycheck. If you are honest, and can live with yourself honestly, you will write what you
know, and - if not - write fiction. Anyhow, the work will find its way into the
right, and sometimes wrong, hands (if you put it out there), and someone will
publish it. A few will pay you. Some say there is more leeway with
self-publishing, but, if you give it to publishers that release material
similar to yours, they will probably let you say whatever it is you want. If
someone is being censored, they may have the wrong publisher (maybe even one
who stands to make more off you, than you off them).

T.P.L.
NYC: You self-published a lot of your works, what are some tactics you did to
build your audience and maintain it after all of these years?

A.S.:Rule One: promote, promote, promote. Too many
people think they have such a great idea, it will sell itself. Few can discover
what is left buried too deeply.

Rule Two: Network, network, network. You are only as strong as your support
system. Also, fans are friends, and the nicer you are, the nicer their words
are about you. Be sincere and humble, because the world hates a phony, and
sooner or later, those types are left to show who they are.

Adel gives some support to his band mates.

T.P.L.
NYC:You seem to be very busy on all
kinds of projects, what are some other things you enjoy doing besides working
so much?

A.S.:I love a good game of chess. Conversation,
and reading, as it keeps the mind sharp, and I really do enjoy them.I’m a big movie buff, so I try to squeeze one
or two in a week. If it’s rare, I also enjoy the hunt. Spend time with my cat,
and the people who make my life better. Music is a big part of my life, so I’m
out at a show about once a week. With all that, the previously mentioned “lounge
around, and think stuff up.”

T.P.L.
NYC:Are you mostly a self-taught artist
or did you have formal training? How did you juggle learning all these
different skills, or did your life go in phases?

A.S.:A little bit of everything. When my family
first moved to the U.S., my father drew sketches for things he built to sell.
He taught me a bit of that. In grammar school, they thought I was artistically
inclined, so I did get some attention from teachers, and a bit of study, all
the way through high school.
After that, it’s all been self-taught, especially with computers. When I made
my ‘zine into a website in 2000, I learned website design, and a bit of
Photoshop. When I began to put out material, I got better at Photoshop. When I
got into film and photography in 2007, I learned editing programs. It never
ends, but (I joke) as a unit of information collection I kinda like it.

T.P.L.
NYC: Who are some of your influences in music, art, and writing?

T.P.L.
NYC: Of all the works that you have completed could you share with us if there
is a painting, song/album, or piece of writing that you have done that sticks
out to you the most?

A.S.:Birth pains are bad, so you tend to love/hate
them all equally. Still, I do love my disposable camera project a lot. In this
project, I choose one motif, then photograph several series of them on
disposable cameras. I ask artists to then work on the camera itself, so it
becomes a work of art. The owner of the piece has to figure out how to get the
photos within, without destroying the exterior work. I have one series
finished, titled Throwaways, with
artist Anthony Mangicapra, and two others currently in the works, while two
more are in the idea stages.

﻿﻿

Souto's Throwaways piece

T.P.L.
NYC: You have been in some galleries. How did you go about getting your work
exhibited?

A.S.:Networking and promotion. I couldn’t get to
many of the places I’ve been without the help of friends and backers, as well
as turning folks on, who just like art, to my ideas.

A pice from Souto's A Joyous Swastika

T.P.L.
NYC: What was the reaction you got for your project A Joyous Swastika?

A.S.:Wonderful! People know it’s done with no
hatred in my heart.
The ancient symbol of the swastika stands for many things, to many cultures,
which are completely innocent. I understand that it symbolizes horror to some,
and plain negativity to others, but I also understand enough to know those
horrors were done under a banner with a hakenkreuz
(the symbol for Nazi Germany), and I vow never to play with that specific
symbol, and especially for what it stands.
That aside, one cannot ask Buddhist, Vedic Indian, Chinese (the word “swastika”
is Sanskrit) or any other cultures who currently use it, and have for millennium,
to stop because a group of men and their insane ideas defiled a part of its
long history.We need to hold those who were responsible for what happened, as well as never
forget. If a symbol is needed to define what that horror is, as the hakenkreuz, I am fine with that, so long
as they are fine with someone like me using the swastika.T.P.L.
NYC:You are working on a new
autobiographical material; what was your life like growing up?

A.S.:Extreme. My father was one type of person, my
mother another. Good people, with bad ideas on raising children (and maybe even
living their personal lives), but they sacrificed a lot to let me be where I
am. When we first moved to this country, they starved so my sister and I could
eat. My childhood is a mixture of long episodes of boredom, peppered with
explosive moments of insanity.

T.P.L. NYC: Your bio mentioned that you are from Cuba, how long did you live
there?

A.S.:Not long; about a year. My father was a
Spanish citizen, and we moved to Spain soon after my birth, until Franco
stepped down, then we came here.

T.P.L.
NYC: You also lived in Miami, what was the art scene like down there? What
brought you to New York City?

A.S.:The art scene in Miami is like the art and music
scene in NYC. There are schools, galleries, premier shows, seminars, and so on,
but it turns out you can make just as much of yourself at home in any city or
town across the world nowadays. Admittedly,
if you are going to stay away from these cultural centers, and the game systems
that revolve around them, then you better work the previously stated Rules One
and Two even harder, through whatever channels you have, be it snail mail,
internet, social media or whatever is the next wave.

What brought me to
NYC was that I knew it was the cultural hub that it is, and thought, “I could
make a paycheck somewhere and struggle with my art, or struggle with work in
NYC, while making a decent time of it with art.” I’ve lived hand-to-mouth time
to time, and knew it would be a struggle, but felt it was the best step to keep
growing. I also had a handful of decent friends from back home, and a few other
new ones I made while here, who have helped make the transition here easier. As
I mentioned, we’re only as strong as our support system.Also, I
have a peculiar history with this city. It was the first place my family came
to when we moved to the U.S.; I tried to make it here in the early 90s, and ran
back home to Miami; would visit on tour every few months to years; and have
always met so many wonderful people in NYC, and from NYC, who changed my life. I
knew I needed to make a life here for some time.

T.P.L. NYC: How did you come up with your band name 156?

A.S.:In the early 90s, I sang for a hardcore band,
Timescape Zero, which had a dark image and lyrical twist, I chose a stage name
I thought would be fitting, Adel 156. It is an allusion to Aleister Crowley,
and his “scarlet whore” Babylon. Though an occult reference, I thought it also
fit as a street tagger’s name, with a hint of gang affiliation - many images the
band went for - so I kept it.
Ever
since, a few friends have kept the 156 moniker for me, so when I began the
experimental industrial act I currently record as, I dropped my name, and stuck
with simply 156.

﻿

Souto's album cover depicting his stage name

T.P.L. NYC: So this blog is about peculiar people. Of all the different
projects that you have worked on, which one do you feel is the most peculiar
whether it be finished project or experience?A.S.:With
all the experiments and rituals I’ve done, as well as some of the material I’ve
produced, both organically and from these experiences, I’m going to say
something a little peculiar: be in a band.
I’ve learned that I have stage fright, and cannot handle being looked at by a
large number of eyes.
When I speak, and can see who I am speaking to: the larger the crowd, the
larger my panic. Not sure if you noticed my shaking at Paul Lucas’ Show and
Tell, and that was a group of 20 or so. It’s different when I stand there,
pouring my heart out, hoping people understand me.Yet, when I make music, especially when I sang
for the punk and hardcore bands, I get up on stage, and something turns off,
while someone else is turned on. I forget the audience is there, and then I
dance, pantomime, fly about, jump and holler, preach like in church, and the
spirit makes the crowd give me an “Amen!” Somehow, “that guy” couldn’t care if
they’re there or not. I was not who I normally am on stage, but ever since my
pineal gland experience I have been filled with more confidence (much more),
and that liberated person is emerging more and more in my daily life. Still, I
find I hold much anxiety. That’s why I know these things need to be done routinely,
but, like any mind-altering experience, in moderation.
T.P.L. NYC: What do you feel is the most peculiar thing you have experienced in
New York City?

A.S.:I could never point to just one experience.
The last three years have been a riot.
The natural moments include having the “Brooklyn tornado” uproot a tree in my backyard
as I stood on my back porch in 2010; looking out the window on Broadway and 34thStreet
from an illegal poker house to see people filling the street after the 2011
earthquake were two good ones.

By another’s hand, watching Kenny Millions freak out a small handful of people
at a show.
By my own hand, I’d have to say the vow of silence maybe. It had me adjust to
living here under odder circumstances than most would want to try.

Maybe in 2005, when a band asked me to do vocals for them, when they opened for
Bad Brains at CBGBs, and having folks like Joan Jett, Moby, and Steve Buscemi
in the crowd. Well, that’s more surreal, than peculiar.

To learn more about Adel Souto and his work, check out his website: www.adelsouto.com.